Meld8 is a Mahjong-style meld game for 3 players using standard playing cards.
A 3-player game is the standard rule.
Each player’s starting score is 30,000 points. There is no bankruptcy (tobi), meaning the game continues even if a player’s score falls below zero.
The game consists of a total of 6 rounds, with each player serving as the dealer twice. If a win (agari) occurs, the dealer changes, and the game proceeds to the next round. In the event of a draw (ryuukyoku), the round number does not advance, the dealer does not change, and the same round is replayed (renchan).
The dealer position shifts clockwise starting from the starting dealer (chiicha). Turns also proceed clockwise. From a player’s perspective, the player taking their turn immediately before is the upper house (kamicha), and the player taking their turn immediately after is the lower house (shimocha).
At the end of the 6 rounds, the player with the highest final score, calculated by adding or subtracting placement points to their raw score, is the winner.
At the start of the game, each player randomly draws one card from a deck of 53 cards (52 standard playing cards plus 1 Joker). The strength of the drawn card determines the first dealer (starting dealer).
Card strength is ranked as follows:
The player who draws the strongest card starts as the dealer for Round 1 (East 1). If a Joker is drawn, that player’s card is treated as the strongest.
All cards drawn for dealer determination are returned to the deck and shuffled again after the starting dealer is decided.
A total of 53 cards are used, consisting of 52 standard playing cards and 1 Joker.
The A is treated as a value card. The 10 is not a value card.
Face cards (J, Q, K) can be connected as sequences (shuntsu) just like number cards.
Red suits are Hearts (♥) and Diamonds (♦), while black suits are Spades (♠) and Clubs (♣).
After the dealer shuffles and cuts the cards, 7 cards are dealt one by one to each player clockwise, starting from the dealer. The remaining cards are placed face down in the center as the deck.
Starting with the dealer, the dealer draws 1 card from the deck to make an 8-card hand. If a winning form is completed with the 8 cards and meets the required han conditions, the player can declare a win.
If not winning, the player discards 1 card (other than the Joker) to return their hand to 7 cards.
Thereafter, in clockwise order, players repeat the process of “draw 1 card → check for win → discard 1 card”. Discarded cards must be arranged in front of each player from left to right, with a line break every 6 cards (to make checking for furiten easier).
If a winning form is completed by another player’s discard and the player is not in furiten, they can declare a Ron win. The discarded card used for Ron is treated as part of the 8-card winning hand.
If the player who draws the very last card of the deck does not win by Tsumo, they must discard 1 card (other than the Joker). Only Ron is possible against this final discard; Pon and Chii are not allowed. If no Ron occurs, the game ends in a draw.
To win, all three of the following conditions must be met:
In the 2-han minimum restriction for Rounds 4–6, Dora, Dealer Bonus, and Sequence Bonus are not counted towards meeting the restriction. A minimum of 2 han from standard yaku is required.
Note: You cannot win with only a combination of Dora, Dealer Bonus, and Sequence Bonus. At least one standard yaku is strictly required.
2 Melds + 1 Pair. Example: 3-card group + 3-card group + 2-card group.
4 different pairs. The Joker cannot be used.
2 quads. A 4-card group + 4-card group form. The Joker can be used.
A special winning form composed of all 8 cards. Pure Straight and Royal Straight fall under this category. Circular straights are not recognized. For example, wrapping around from A to 2, such as 8-9-10-J-Q-K-A-2, is not allowed.
When determining a win, the player decomposes their 8-card hand into a single winning form. If multiple decompositions are possible, the player may choose the one that yields the highest score. The “highest scoring decomposition” refers to the one that maximizes the total han calculation, including yaku, Sequence Bonuses, Dora, and the Dealer Bonus. Yaku, Sequence Bonuses, the designated card for the Joker, and the presence of Dora are all determined based on the chosen decomposition. Melds exposed through calling (naki) are fixed and cannot be changed during decomposition.
3 consecutive cards of the same suit. The 11 valid sequences are:
Because A and K do not connect in standard sequences, a Q-K-A combination is invalid.
A 1-han bonus is awarded for each sequence created without using a Joker (up to a maximum of 2 han). The Sequence Bonus is not a yaku, so you cannot win on this bonus alone. It does not count toward the 2-han restriction for Rounds 4–6.
3 cards of the same rank. Suits do not matter.
2 cards of the same rank. Suits do not matter. The Joker cannot substitute for a pair.
4 cards of the same rank. If using a Joker, it substitutes for 1 unpossessed card of the same rank.
The Joker can be used to substitute for 1 missing card in a standard sequence, triplet, Pure Straight, or Two Quads.
During win determination, the Joker is treated as a specific card. For yaku evaluation, it assumes the rank and suit of the substituted card. However, if specific Joker restrictions apply (e.g., Value Triplet, Dora, Royal Straight, Four Crown Pairs), those restrictions take precedence.
When a Joker is used, yaku like Tanyao, All Red, All Black, Chanta, and Jun Chanta are judged based on the substituted card’s rank and suit. For example, if the Joker is used as the 5 of Hearts, it is treated as a 5 for Tanyao and as a red suit for All Red. However, the Joker itself never becomes the Dora, and han deduction (kuisagari) for Joker usage applies.
If the Joker is used as the final winning tile, the Pinfu yaku is recognized if the substituted card creates a two-sided wait. In this case, Pinfu is reduced to 1 han due to Joker usage.
If the Joker is used to complete a triplet of A, J, Q, or K, that triplet is not treated as a Value Triplet (Yakuhai).
The Joker cannot substitute for a card you already possess. “Cards you already possess” includes cards in your closed hand and any exposed melds. Seeing the same card in another player’s hand, discard pile, or exposed melds does not prevent you from using the Joker as that card.
(Example: If you have the Ace of Spades, Ace of Clubs, and a Joker, you cannot treat the Joker as the Ace of Spades or Clubs. You can treat it as the unpossessed Ace of Diamonds or Hearts, but this triplet will not count as a Value Triplet.)
The following uses for the Joker are strictly prohibited:
Even if the Joker is drawn on the very first draw by a dealer or non-dealer to complete a hand, Tenhou or Chiihou will still be valid, provided it is used within its permitted scope. However, it still cannot be used for Four Pairs, Royal Straight, or Four Crown Pairs.
A win containing a Joker reduces the han of specific yaku by 1. However, the reduction for calling (naki) and the reduction for Joker usage do not stack. The maximum reduction for a single yaku is 1 han, and a yaku’s value will never drop to 0. Tenhou and Chiihou themselves are not subject to Joker han reduction.
| Yaku | When Calling | When Using Joker | | :— | :—: | :—: | | All Red / All Black | 2 Han → 1 Han | 2 Han → 1 Han | | Toitoi | 2 Han → 1 Han | 2 Han → 1 Han | | Chanta | 2 Han → 1 Han | 2 Han → 1 Han | | Pinfu | 2 Han → 1 Han | 2 Han → 1 Han | | Identical Sequences | 2 Han → 1 Han | 2 Han → 1 Han | | Jun Chanta | 3 Han → 2 Han | 3 Han → 2 Han | | Two Quads | Calling Prohibited | 6 Han → 5 Han | | Pure Straight | Calling Prohibited | 6 Han → 5 Han | | Tanyao | Calling Prohibited | No Change | | Value Triplet | No Change | Invalid with Joker | | Closed Tsumo | Calling Prohibited | No Change | | Haitei | No Change | No Change | | Four Pairs | Calling Prohibited | Cannot Use |
Any Yakuman not listed above follows its own specific conditions. Even if the substituted card for the Joker happens to be the Dora, the Joker does not count as Dora. The Joker itself can never be Dora.
Calling is limited to once per player per round. The Joker cannot be used to call.
Ron does not count towards the call limit.
Pon and Chii cannot be declared on the dealer’s very first discard. However, Ron is permitted. A Ron on the dealer’s first discard is treated as a standard Ron, not Chiihou. In this case, the Dora revealed by the dealer’s first discard is valid and applied to the score.
A player declaring Pon or Chii must expose the targeted discard and two cards from their hand to form a meld, and then immediately discard one card (other than the Joker) from their hand. The exposed meld must be placed clearly separated from the remaining closed hand, typically in front on the right. During win determination, the shape is formed using the “3 exposed cards + 5 hand cards (including the draw),” totaling 8 cards.
Afterward, the turn passes to the lower house of the player who called. Exposed melds are fixed and cannot be rearranged during win decomposition.
If multiple declarations occur on the same discard, the priority is Ron > Pon > Chii.
If multiple Ron declarations occur, only the Ron of the player closest to the discarder in turn order is recognized. If multiple Pon declarations occur, only the Pon of the player closest to the discarder in turn order is recognized. Since Chii is only possible on the upper house’s discard, multiple Chii declarations cannot occur.
Only Ron is allowed on the discard following the drawing of the last card in the deck. Pon and Chii are not permitted.
A simplified furiten rule is adopted. Furiten is evaluated on a per-card basis.
If your current waiting tiles include an identical card (same rank and suit) that you previously discarded, you cannot declare a Ron win with that hand.
“Current waiting tiles” refer to any card that completes the winning shape of your hand, before considering the presence of yaku, Dora, bonuses, or han minimums. Therefore, even if a card completes the form but lacks a 1-han yaku or fails the round’s minimum han restriction, it is still treated as a waiting tile for furiten purposes.
(Example: If adding a specific card completes a “2 Sequences + 1 Pair” shape, but you only have a Sequence Bonus and no standard yaku to legally win, that card is still considered a wait for furiten. If you discarded that identical card previously, you cannot win by Ron.)
Furiten restricts Ron wins only. You can still win by Tsumo while in furiten. “Missed win” (mikaeshi furiten) furiten rules are not adopted.
However, cards you discarded that were subsequently called (Pon or Chii) by another player are not counted in your discard history for furiten evaluation.
The dealer’s very first discard acts as the Dora indicator. The next rank in the same suit becomes the Dora. The dealer’s first discard is finalized as the Dora indicator as soon as it is placed on the table. Even if someone declares Ron on that exact discard, the Dora is applied to the score calculation.
If the dealer wins on their first draw, no first discard occurs. In this case, there is no Dora indicator, and no Dora is added.
The rank progression is as follows: A → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → 8 → 9 → 10 → J → Q → K → A
Since the Joker cannot be discarded, it never becomes the Dora indicator. Even if a Joker substitutes for a card that happens to be Dora, the Joker does not count as Dora. The Joker itself never becomes Dora.
Dora is not a yaku, meaning you cannot win on Dora alone. It is not counted toward the 2-han minimum restriction for Rounds 4–6.
Yakuman are treated as single or double Yakuman. Triple Yakuman are not used. Single is 1x, Double is 2x. The maximum is double. Yakuman ignore standard yaku, Dora, bonuses, and sequence bonuses. Counted Yakuman do not compound with standard Yakuman.
Standard yaku compound if conditions are met simultaneously. Higher and lower tiers do not compound (e.g., Chanta is ignored if Jun Chanta is achieved). Pure Straight ignores All Red/All Black. Counted Yakuman is awarded at 10+ han.
Base Points = Total Han × 2,000 points. (e.g., 1 han = 2,000 pts, 2 han = 4,000 pts). The dealer receives a +1 han Dealer Bonus when winning.
No points change hands during a draw. Players do not need to expose hands. The round repeats without advancing the dealer (renchan).
At game end, apply placement modifiers:
Violators pay 5,000 points to both other players (10,000 total). The round is voided and advances to the next round with normal dealer rotation. Triggered by (if hand is exposed): False Ron/Tsumo (incomplete hand, no yaku, failing han minimums, furiten), illegal Joker win, declaring a win while under a “Dead Hand” penalty.
The violator loses the right to win or call for the rest of the round. Triggered by: Unexposed false voice declarations, false Pon/Chii (unable to expose meld), Too Many/Few Cards, Premature Drawing, illegal Swap Calling (Kuikae), discarding the Joker by mistake.